Weightloss almost impossible - any ideas?

[MargoLivebetter]

I am about 2 years post-menopause and I am slightly overweight. My BMI is 25.3. I have Spondyloarthritis, Osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease and it is better for me not to be carrying any extra weight at all. In the past I have successfully shed weight by upping protein and reducing calories.

For the past 5 weeks, I have stuck to 1500 calories a day and get at least 70g of protein a day, higher if I can. I've lost 1lb. I'm rigorous about logging calories and have only had two days in that time when I went over.

I average 8,000 steps a day and do a full session of pilates once a week. Water aerobics once a week and a couple of 20 minute at home pilates sessions.

I don't take HRT and the only medication I am on is a powerful NSAID for the Spondyloarthritis. I'm not hypothyroid.

I can't do any high impact exercise because of the sorry state of my spine. I was wondering if I should do more weight training to see if that might help? Has anyone had any success using sensible and healthy weight loss options? I'm not up for injections or cabbage diet stuff.

It's only my opinion but counting calories can be a double edged sword.
All calories aren't equal.
1500 a day might be too much - who knows? For me that would be an average intake and in the past to lose a few pounds I need to drop to 1000. Ultra processed food is an issue and can cause insulin issues.

Have you thought about intermittent fasting like 2 days a week on 600-800 calories?

Or time restricted eating - eating within a timeframe like 10am-6pm and having several hours of fasting overnight?

Hi @JinglingSpringbells Thank you for your thoughts.

I eat 3 meals of approx 500 calories. High protein porridge for breakfast with an egg and some berries mixed in. Either soup or salad for lunch with cold cuts of ham, chicken or beef added to increase the protein. For dinner I have either meat, fish or a high protein vegetarian option with salad or vegetables followed by a bit of fruit or sorbet for pudding. I don't think there is much ultra processed food in my daily menu.

I have low blood pressure, so find fasting for any length of time really difficult as I get dizzy and pass out. Not good on the commute into work! 😬

Come and join us on the low carb bootcamp. It started today and will run for 8 weeks. No fasting required. No hunger required.

For me, it's about changing lifestyle and hoping weight loss will come eventually. I started a low carb way of eating in January and lost a stone within 4 weeks. Since then I've lost 3-4 lbs - that's around 1lb per month. I have gained a lot of energy and feel heaps better so am trying to focus less on my weight and more on enjoying what I eat and life in general. Hopefully the weight will continue to trend in the right direction even if it will be years before I've lost the 4st minimum I need to lose.

Ozempic

Works for me

If 1500 is barely losing weight try 1400

Your calorie requirement might be lower now than 5 years ago

Just being post menopause needs a little less
And losing muscle which often goes hand in hand with menopause also means you need less

I have to religiously stick to 1000-1200 cals a day, an 8 hour eating window and no processed foods or carbs (wheat, rice, pasta, potatoes, sugars).

No alcohol.

Its absolute bollocks.

I find I have to do fast 800 to lose anything and I do between 15 to 20k steps a day as well as swimming twice a week. My thyroid is fine.

I'm post menopause and am losing weight - though I have about a stone still to lose and have lost a stone and a half.

The first stone and a half was relatively easy as I was upping my exercise and cutting out crap.

This last stone is proving much harder but I am losing weight.

I'm doing weights as exercise - I imagine that might be harder for you. But that seems to be helping. I also do Pilates once a week but while that's hard, it's more for core and flexibility than losing weight.

You might need to do more exercise ... swimming or aquafit maybe?

I'm cutting portion sizes and reducing the amount of carbs, I'm miserable without carbs though so I'm sticking to brown carbs when I can. But I have 3 meals a day, no fasting, like you, I'd faint.

Also lots of full fat dairy for my bones.

@JosiePosey

yep - what she said.

1500 kcals is like a normal maintenance weight for me - and that's with a reasonably active lifestyle. ie 10 to 15,000 steps per day, gym twice weekly, etc

So the consensus seems to be that calories have to drop further. I will basically just be eating protein and salad or low carb veg!!! Inwardly sighing.

@BigDahliaFan what kind of weights are you doing? I can do weights as long as I'm not adding any weight to my crumbling spine. I've never been much of a weights person, so wouldn't have a clue where to start.

well that's pretty much what I do every day.

I'm potentially apple-shaped and with heart disease rampant on my Mum's side, I don't want to have a lot of visceral fat on my belly , which is where it goes.

I allow myself one portion of carbs a day- either breakfast, (oats/oat cakes) lunch (1 slice bread- open sandwich perhaps) or dinner (brown rice or pasta or spuds) Always wholegrain and a small portion. (They say it should be no bigger than your fist.)

I do eat a lot of full fat Greek yoghurt (for breakfast and 'desert' in the evening, always with fruit - blueberries, rasps, whatever's in season) and a square of very good dark choc a day. Very occasional homemade cake or a pudding. Afternoon 'snack' is almonds/other nuts or almond butter on an oat cake.

Not being holier than thou - really!- just hoping this might help -but as a plump early teen, this is what works for me.

@MargoLivebetter (love the name !) reading your reply upthread (sorry- missed it) it seems odd if that is all you eat.

I wonder if you are counting calories properly? Or is it a portion issue?

It's REALLY hard to count calories as it's all about weighing, measuring, etc and it's possible that your 1500 is closer to 2000 unless you're being really scientific with the counting.

Not being snipey but genuine questions! Just for example, if you were adding potato salad, or dollops of mayo or coleslaw (+ mayo) rather than green salad and other veg...

The sorbet will be high in sugar.

Would you be brave enough to list a day's food so we can help?

@MargoLivebetter its a class at a gym. I’ve not got the best back so I don’t lift anything to heavy. I didn’t have a clue…but after a year much stronger.

I suspect if you got a couple of personal training sessions they could set you up with z programme to suit.

Thanks @BigDahliaFan . I hate gyms, but I guess they are probably the only way if I do want to lift weights.

@JinglingSpringbells . Very happy to give you a typical day's food. They are essentially very similar! I use MyNetDiary, so it is easy to see what I'm eating:

Breakfast
25g raspberries
100ml semi skimmed milk
1/2 scoop of whey powder
1 medium egg
36g of Fuel high protein porridge
312 calories

Lunch
50g ham
8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 stick celery
150g new potatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon vineager
1 teaspoon mustard
255 calories

Dinner
1/2 pack of stir fry beef (non stick pan - no additional fat)
1/2 pack of pepper stir fry vegetable bag
Tablespoon of stir fry sauce
125g boiled rice
one scoop of mango sorbet and a few strawberries
560 calories

Snacks
1 square of dark chocolate - 60 calories
1 apple or tangerine or banana - allow 80 calories

I have 3 toffees during the day at 33 calories per toffee - 100 calories

Total calories - 1467

I will mix it up a bit and sometimes have a bigger lunch and smaller dinner etc.

@MargoLivebetter I hate gyms too, but I'm quite liking the benefits in feeling stronger.

I have friends who've joined ladies only gyms or weights for beginners classes which they seem to enjoy.

It's not the only way of doing it, you could up the Pilates and do things like using resistance training - elastic bands - and press ups.

Thanks:)

It looks good but it's weird you aren't losing weight. TBH that is pretty much my daily intake 'not on a diet' but without the sweets, rice and spuds.

If this were me, I'd skip the potatoes and rice, and have more veg in the salad, and skip the 160 cals in the sweets and swap the sorbet for full fat yoghurt (protein and calcium.)

That's being really picky!

Sorry to mention it but you're getting almost zero calcium - only a small amount of milk. The aim for women post menopause is 700-100mgs a day.
That's from milk, cheese, yoghurt, oily fish, chick peas and other pulses, dried fruits, leafy green veg etc. You could have 150gms of full fat yoghurt to make up for the 160 cals is sweets.

Your body needs protein and healthy fats in order to build, repair and maintain every single cell you have. Don't fear the fat!
If you want some inspiration take a look at Eric Westman and Georgia Ede on YouTube, both doctors, one specializing in weight loss the other in mental health. And if you have time check out Zoe Harcombe and nutrition myths, fascinating!

Hi @JinglingSpringbells I could definitely leave out the potatoes and rice and substitute with more veg.

In terms of calcium, I think I get the following every day, which you are right isn't really enough:

Whey powder - 140mg
100ml milk - 140mg
1 egg - 50mg

I have fish 3-4 times a week.

However, I could easily swap in some greek yoghurt instead of the sorbet.

Thank you. Really helpful to have another set of eyes looking.

Could you look for an aqua weights class near you, or do some aqua jogging? That takes the stress off your body but burns mega calories.

Great!

If you wanted to ring the changes with breakfast, you could have 2 scrambled egg with smoked salmon, or use your 'carb allowance' for a slice of wholegrain bread, 2 poached eggs (and that smashed avocado!)

If you swap the ham sometimes for tinned sardines,( I know not everyone likes them) they have a whopping amount of calcium (something like 400mgs) and are really filling.

Thank you @JosiePosey I do aqua aerobics class once a week and that involves resistance. I love it. One of my favourite things to do each week. 😀

I’m the same @MargoLivebetter . I agree with others, it’s just eating too much to lose weight at the rate you want. I’m peri, nearly 50 with a BMI of 27. I am short and not getting much exercise due to bad back/health issues past few months. It is very hard to lose weight, isn’t it?! .

I hope you don’t mind me saying but I’m looking at your breakfast and thinking it’s a massive number of calories when trying for a weight loss. I’d be having an egg or small porridge & skimmed milk, not both.
Best of luck with the weight loss and sorry to hear of your health issues.